Receptacle for threaded needles



June 16, 1953 c. R. YINGLING RECEPTACLE FOR THREADED NEEDLES Filed May 11. 1949 Lulu-LIQ.

INVENTOR. CR. Yin gZz'ng.

Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE FOR THREADED NEEDLES Charles R; Yingling, Baltimore,A Md.

Application May 11, 1949, Serial No. 92,669

4 Claims. (Cl. 223-109) This invention relates to receptacles andpackages, and especially to a receptacle for threaded needles, though also useful for receiving unthreaded needles, pins, etc.

One object of this invention is to provide a compact kit for use Aloy members of art-schools, artclubs or societies where variousy kinds, sizes and colors of thread are necessary to effect color schemes, and where it is expeditious and otherwise advantageous to have the different kinds, sizes and colors displayed side by side for ready comparison and selection by the user.

Another object is to provide this device with such arrangement of elements that enables the respective needles to help keep the respective threads stretched around and between any elect ed number of the pins and hitch-elements which contribute to preventing the threads from tangling or interfering with one another.

Another object is to provide this device with all its elements in a unitary, compact and convenient arrangement that can be carried in a pocket, purse or hand-bag with a large num-ber of threaded and unthreaded needles attached in readiness to be detached andused without loss of time for threading at the time of starting to work therewith.

Qther objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in -connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a simple form of the invention that has a part of the upper plate `broken away and removed with some of the elements or features like those shown at 4, 5, and 6, to disclose some of the parts 1 and 9 on the lower plate 8; also showing (in dot-dash lines) the shape of the needle-cushion that normally iits in one of the spaces lil.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a top-plan view of a modified form of the invention containing a few needles with their respective threads t wound in different ways on and stretched between their respective elected groups of pins 5; a portion of the cover or casing ll being broken away and in section at the lower left, showing a part of the upper plate 2a.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3; a portion at left end of the casing Il being broken away and in section to show parts of the surfaces 3a of ther upper plate, Sa of one of the spacing blocks, and 8a of the lower plate also showing a thread t attached to a-needleend 4at n, and wound and stretched around two hitch-elements 6a near the thread-end-portions.

Figure 5 is an elevational viewV of the device in Figs. 3 and 4, showing a needle-end n engaged with a thread t that is wound around and 2. stretched between pins 5 and hitched to a hitchelement 6.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference numerals refer to different parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

In a broad and generic sense, the invention is a special receptacle for threaded needles, and includes a plate I or la, having upper surfaces 2 or 2a and a relatively narrow peripheral surface 3 or 3a, and having needle-receiving channels d or 4a extending thru said narrow peripheral surface and transversely of said wide surface; a plurality of pins 5 being united with said plate and projecting outward from opposite marginal portions of said wide surface and being adapted to Vhave a thread t wound around and stretched between them while the thread extends thru a needle n that is within one of said needlereceiving channels; and the invention also includes a plurality of thread-hitching clamp-elements 6 or 6d that are unitedv with said plate and extending outward therefrom at points spaced from said pins and adapted to clamp and hold end-portions of a thread t when the latter is wound around an elected number of said pins 5.

The invention also includes a needle-receiving cushion 1 or la secured to said plate and having its points of needle-entrance substantially at said peripheral narrow surface 3 or 3a.

A plate 8 or 8a is secured to the opposite side of the rst said plate from said wide side thereof by means that includer spacer blocks 9 or 9a;

Each spacer-block Sa is cross-notched at Bn; and.

these openings and into the cushion la; and ifY said needles be threaded, the thread can be extended to adjacent pins 5', wound therearound, stretched therebetween, and have their end por-- tions pressed into and clamped by the hitch-elements or clamps 6. The clamping is effected by the thread being pushed or pulled into the acute angle-space around the elected hitch-element 6.

When the user is ready to sew with anyelected kind or color of thread and attached needle she (or he) grasps the free end of that thread, pulls it out from its clamped engagement with thev hitch-element B or a, then disengages it from the pins 5, and? uses it to pull the engaged needle from the cushionv la or 'ic or from any channel Il or 4a that has no cushion therein. The channels d are shown as bores, but the channels 4a arev shown as if out by saws, and as the casing. ii closes the primarily open top of each channel', vand as the openings Ilo are narrower than the channels 4a, the cushions 'Ic that ll the channels 4a cannot come out from these channels.

In full lines and in dotted lines, in Fig. 1, the positions of four spacing blocks 9 are shown between the upper plate I and the lower plate 8, and glue or other appropriate means may be employed for securing these spacing blocks to the upper and lower plates; and although only one space IIJ is indicated between two adjacent blocks 9, it may be readily understood that there are four of such spaces, and that they are normally filled with cushion 'I of fibrous or other appropriate material, although one of said cushions 'I is omitted at the lower right of Fig. 1, while its shape is indicated in dot-dash lines in a position slightly removed outward from its normal position such as indicated at the upper-right in Fig. 1, where they can be secured by glue or other appropriate means.

Though cushions are shown in the bores or channels of Figs. 1 and 2, because they are not absolutely essential, it is preferable to provide them with cushions which may be treated with paraffin or other appropriate material for lubricating the needles and preventing them from becoming rusted or rough. For the purposes just mentioned, cushions 1c are provided in the respective channels 4a in Fig. 4, and access can be had to these cushions through openings Ho in the outer covering or casing II for inserting and withdrawing needles. When threaded needles are in any of the cushions T, 1a, or lo, their respective threads can be wound around and stretched between any selected groups or arrangements of the pins that are most convenient thereto; and the end portions of the respective threads can be Wound or pressed into any one or two of the hitchdevices or thread-clamps 6, in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive; and in the modified form in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the elements or parts ia, 2a, 3d, da, 7a, 9a and I Da have functions corresponding respectively to the elements or parts I, 2, 3, 4, 1, 8, 9 and I0 of the similar parts in Figs. l and 2.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the thin cover or casing I I is shown; and though no such casing is provided in Figs. l and 2, it is Within the scope of this invention to provide the same. The casing I I' is secured on the surface 2a, 3a and on the elements 8a and 9a by glue or other appropriate means (not shown) and it has openings at 4a and at ia for access to the cushions la and 1b respectively.

The hitch-elements 6 are shown as composed respectively of two-concavo-convex discs which are centrally apertured and held together by means of pins which may be similar to the pins 5 and which extend through the upper plate I in Figs. l and 2 and through the casing I l and upper plate of which a portion 3a is shown in Fig. 4, and another portion 2a is shown in Fig. 3. Several of these pins are indicated at 6p in Figs. 2 and 5.

The thread-holding and hitching devices 6a are shown in the form of tacks having large heads with the convex side against the cover or casing Il, the Shanks thereof being indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. Inasmuch as these hitch devices 6 and 6a may be of construction other than shown and described, they are not described more specically and are not claimed per se.

This invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement as herein described and as shown in the drawings, for the invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

My invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a special receptacle for threaded needles,

the combination of a plate having a relatively wide surface and a relatively narrow peripheral surface and having needle-receiving channels eX- tending through said narrow surface and transversely of said wide surface, a plurality of pins united with said plate and projecting outward in sets near the peripheral edge portions and substantially central portions of said wide surface and adapted to have a thread wound around and stretched between any two pins of said sets While said thread extends through a needle that is Within one of said needle-receiving channels, and a plurality of thread-hitching clamp-elements united with said plate and extending outward from said wide surface at points spaced from said pins and adapted to clamp and hold end-portions of a thread when the latter is wound around an elected number of said pins.

2. In a special receptacle for threaded needles, the combination of a plate having a relativell wide surface and a relatively narrow peripheral surface, a needle-receiving cushion, a plurality 0f pins united with said plate and extending outward from opposite edge-portions of said Wide surface and adapted to have a thread wound around and stretched between them while said thread extends through a needle that is within said needle-receiving cushion, a plurality of thread-hitching clamp-elements united with said plate and extending outward from said Wide surface at points spaced from said pins and adapted to clamp and hold end-portions of a thread when the thread is Wound around an elected number 0f said pins, said needle-receiving cushion being secured to said plate and having its points of needle-entrance substantially at said peripheral narrow surface.

3. 1n a special receptacle for threaded needles, the combination of two plates each having relatively wide surfaces and having relatively narrow surfaces substantially at right angles to said Wide surfaces, said plates being spaced from one an. other throughout the greater portion of adjacent wide surfaces thereof, a needle-receiving cushion secured in the space between said adjacent Wide surfaces, and two complemental rows of threadreceiving and thread-clamping elements united with said plates and projecting outward therefrom and adapted to have thread wound around a number of them while said thread extends through a needle that is within said cushion, each of said thread-clamping elements being effective to clamp and hold end-portions of said thread against accidental detachment therefrom.

4. The structure defined by claim 3 in combination with a row of pins united'with and extending out from one of said narrow surfaces in a convenient relation to have a portion of a thread wound around a group composed of a number 0f said pins and a number of said thread-clamping elements while a part of said thread is extended through a needle that is within said needle-receiving cushion. 

